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Lead: A Raw, Rugged Country‑Rock Debut from Jazz Saxophonist Zoh AmbaVeteran free‑jazz saxophonist Zoh Amba steps out of the improvisational realm with ‘Eyes Full’, a country‑rock record that feels both bruised and beautiful. The album opens with the track “OCD”, where a twinkling guitar riff gives way to a chaotic, blustering strum that mirrors the lyrical theme of a boy “diagnosed with ‘dreamin’ all the time’”.From Free Jazz to Country Rock: The Musical PivotAmba’s hometown of Kingsport, Tennessee informs the record’s lyrical landscape, with cryptic postcards recalling childhood memories. While Amba is best known for saxophone virtuosity, the new material showcases a vocal approach as daring as their instrumental work—pushing past breaking points, cracking, whinnying, and squeaking to convey raw emotion.Tracks like “Southern Soil” echo the intensity of indie folk acts such as Bright Eyes and Big Thief, while “Weed Eating” balances feral humour with despair, and “Blueberry Thorn” offers a dusty fiddle that feels as piercing as literal thorns.Why “Eyes Full” Reshapes the Indie Country LandscapeThe album’s blend of gritty guitar work and tender lyricism challenges the conventional boundaries of indie country, suggesting that genre‑fluidity can thrive when an artist brings the same fearless improvisation from jazz to a new sonic field. By marrying experimental aggression with heartfelt storytelling, Amba creates a template for future cross‑genre explorations.Looking Ahead: What This Shift Means for Amba’s Future and the GenreIf “Eyes Full” resonates with listeners, it could open doors for Amba to oscillate between jazz and country‑rock, perhaps even spawning collaborations that further blur genre lines. For the broader indie‑country scene, the record signals that authenticity rooted in personal history can coexist with avant‑garde experimentation, encouraging other artists to take similar bold detours.

The Triumphant ReturnIn the gloom of an underlit Barrowlands stage, a man in black is holding a large inflatable phone to his ear and chanting these words: "SFA OK. SFA OK." The man is Gruff Rhys. The band is Super Furry Animals. And the song, Wherever I Lay My Phone (That's My Home), allows them to reintroduce themselves at this, their second gig after 10 years away.Not that they need much introducing. This Glasgow date sold out fast, mostly thanks to fans – going by the age of the crowd – who loved them first time around. Signed to Creation, the label flush with Oasis money, they came to prominence in the mid-90s goldrush.The Britpop OutsidersAlan McGee thought he had found his own version of Blur, but their Welshness and weirdness put them at odds with Britpop orthodoxy. That madcap reputation has tended to obscure what they really are: a formidable songwriting force.Confirmation of their immense skill and range comes when they perform Run! Christian, Run! followed by Juxtapozed with U. The former is 70s-style country rock, the latter an immaculately crafted soul tune. Both are wonderful.The Vocal MasteryIt doesn't get said enough that Rhys is a beautiful singer. Live performance makes this clear. His voice is essentially mournful, but the songs are so sweet with melody that the impression is of Eeyore transcendent – becoming Tigger through the transforming power of pop.He's not much of a showman. Likewise the rest of the band. Mostly they let the songs sell themselves. Yet they have their moments. At the noisy climax of Receptacle for the Respectable, Rhys, Huw Bunford and Guto Pryce gather centre stage, guitars aloft, and press the necks together. It's a bit Status Quo, a bit rutting giraffe, more than a bit thrilling.The Epic PerformanceAs the two-hour show builds to its peak, they lean into epics: Mountain People, Slow Life and, of course, traditional set-closer The Man Don't Give A Fuck, extended tonight to 12 minutes. A singalong protest song against whatever evils of the world you want it to be about, it has lost none of its cathartic anger and vulgar cheer.The Road AheadThe Super Furry Animals have announced additional dates following their successful Glasgow return. Fans can catch them at Venue Cymru, Llandudno, 14 and 15 May; before they continue touring the UK. This reunion not only satisfies longtime fans but also introduces a new generation to their unique musical blend that defies easy categorization.